Romina joined the HIPPY program in Toronto with her son, Fernando, who was struggling when he started school. He was unable to write, hold a pencil, or stay still for five minutes. Every time he had to do homework or an activity, he cried. Eventually, Fernando was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder:
It was hard when we have the diagnosis, but we were able to understand him more and more, what was causing those struggles learning and all those stuff that he has.
The routine of the HIPPY program helped Fernando. His teacher has noticed how far he has come and how much he now enjoys learning. Romina credits these improvements to their daily routine of HIPPY activities:
My son is getting better and better each day because he has been participating in the HIPPY program for 28 weeks. He’s able to enjoy the activities. He laugh. He smile. He’s able to write. He learn ABCs, shapes, numbers. You name it, a lot of stuff.
Now, Romina wants nothing more than for her children to be successful in what they do and live happy lives. She has learned a lot from Fernando:
I learned that we are unique persons. We do stuff in different ways. We are not just different; we are able to think and do the stuff in the way that we have chosen.
Your donation to the Mothers Matter Centre makes a difference in the lives of mothers like Romina and their children. In June, every $1 donated to us via CanadaHelps is an automatic entry for us to win a $10,000 donation. The more you give, the more chances the Mothers Matter Centre has to win!
